Hey Beloved, in this episode, I'm sharing four reasons you question your calling.

The truth is God would never call you to do something He did not already equip you and prepare you to do.

I remember when the Lord called me to do my first Called Conference. I was afraid. I questioned if I had what it takes. I questioned if anybody would come. I questioned if what God had given me to share was something that women hadn't already heard and if they would want to hear it again from me.

It took courage, but I chose to move by faith and obey God anyway, and the Lord met me at every stage. The sad thing is, even after God did exceedingly above what I had dared to imagine, I still questioned EVERYTHING.

Sometimes we can be our worst critics. You can be called and chosen and paralyze your own progress by choosing not to believe what God says about you and focusing your attention on all the what-ifs.

What that really means is you don't trust God completely. You are still self-reliant, trying to figure things out on your own and control a God-ordained thing.

After a while, what you focus on will begin to define you and create a box that will confine you. The box is easier to get in than to get out - the devil's plan to keep you stuck.

My advice to you whom God has called to do something that you know is BIGGER than you...

1. Take the first step

2. Shut out the voices

3. Obey God and leave the results to Him

4. Stay focused on what you know God said about you.

Please subscribe, like and share my podcast, if this message encouraged you.

Connect with me:

Website: http://kristapettiford.com

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My guest for episode #8 is Sharon Pearce, the founder and executive director of Silent Voices Pregnancy Care Center. 

I reached out to Sharon when I shared my story of having had an abortion at our annual women's conference several years ago and then had several women come to me silently via texts and email to thank me for sharing my story and to share their stories with me. I reached out to her to be able to refer some for follow-up who need more counseling. Then a few months ago a saw Sharon at a ministry event and asked her to be on the podcast. During our chat, Sharon shared her story of working in the abortion industry and how that affected her to the point of a mental breakdown, and how God in His mercy healed her and lead her to start Silent Voices to help women make the decision to keep their babies. Sharon's mission is to help women make the decision to keep their babies and to support them through motherhood, and bring healing to those women who have had abortions. Maybe you've never had an abortion but you've experienced God's grace giving you beauty for the ashes of something you've been through. Maybe you know someone who's had an abortion. If so, would you please share this podcast with them. Either way, I'm sure as always that you will see a little of yourself in Sharon story of God's love, acceptance, and beauty shaping her identity and the way she lives out her faith.

What Silent Voices Offers:

Silent Voices offers a host of confidential services including free pregnancy tests, counseling and loving support to women facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies who often feel pressured to have an abortion throughout their pregnancies. Silent Voices has two support groups - Bridges to Motherhood for any woman who is either pregnant or has recently had a baby, who is looking for support, friendship and assistance and Post Abortion Healing & Recovery Group which is done as a weekend experience, plus Bible Studies. They also offer sex, pregnancy, and abortion education, natural family planning, as well as help and counseling for those women who choose to have abortions.  

  Sharon's Motto/Verse:

"Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord." (Isaiah 54:1)

You can donate to help with the mobile unit here: 

http://www.silentvoices.org/donate-now.html

Going mobile will allow Silent Voices/Real Choices to meet women where they are, and to help them in their most vulnerable moments by providing a Free Ultrasound on the Mobile!

Volunteer with Silent Voices:

http://www.silentvoices.org/volunteer.html

Silent Voices on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Silent-Voices-International

Sow A Bible into Silent Voices Bible Studies through Gardeness Ministries 

http://www.gardenessministries.com/sow

Connect with me:

www.kristapettiford.com

Hey Beloved, in this episode, I'm sharing a word of encouragement from the book of Esther.

Just as with Esther, there is a call to God's daughters for such a time as this. Even though it will take courage to do what God has called you to do, He has called you to the Kingdom, not to remain silent but to rise up and use your influence and your voice to affect change against injustice and the racial prejudice of our day.

If you choose to remain silent, deliverance will come from somewhere else, but one day it might be you that needs someone to stand again oppression with you.

Esther found the clarity and confidence she needed to do the hard thing through fasting and prayer.

Three ways that you can affect change beginning now is to be the bridge that brings those that are disconnected together. Bring solutions to the table instead of opinions and mindsets that keep us divided. Be led by love in your thinking, your conversations, and your actions. Please subscribe, like, and share this video.

Connect with me:

Website: http://kristapettiford.com

Instagram http://instagram.com/kristapettiford

Facebook http://facebook.com/kristapettifordpage

YouTube: http://youtube.com/kristapettifordchan 

Het Beloved, in this episode, I'm sharing the audio from the Facebook live conversation I had with my friends. Yesterday I had a moment of sadness that led to doing a Facebook live to ask other people how they are doing.

The live video and the comments that followed brought clarity, actionable solutions, and support. 

If you are part of the body of Christ you have a responsibility to respond to injustice no matter how uncomfortable it may make you feel and to do it with love and compassion.

As God's daughters, we are to be the bridges that bring people together. Bring the solution that leads to healing and justice and do so with love as Christ witnesses.

Saturday morning in prayer at 8:30 AM got to go before the King to change the edict that allows injustice to continue against Black people and for God to expose those who stand for justice and those who oppose it with silence.

You can join us and fast with us if you choose to, here:

On Facebook: http://facebook.com/kristapettifordpage

"And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in [c]Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:13-16)

Connect with me and let me know how you are doing:

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/kristapettiford

On my website: http://kristapettiford.com